Federation-Romulan Neutral Zone
The Federation-Romulan Neutral Zone was a volume of space which separated the the United Federation of Planets and the Romulan Star Empire, into which neither side could enter without such entry being regarded as a declaration of war to the other side. Originally created between Earth and Romulus, it was known as the Romulan Neutral Zone among the species comprising the Coalition of Planets that was the immediate predecessor to the United Federation of Planets. Since the incorporation of the Federation and the creation of other neutral zones between or around other species, it is referred to internationally by both its signatories. Origins of the Zone The creation of the Neutral Zone was negotiated by non-visual radio communication upon the conclusion of the Earth-Romulan War of 2156-2160, where Earth forces emerged victorious. Its stated purpose was to clearly define the territorial limits of the Romulan Star Empire at that time as it faced the Federation. This was for several reasons: * To create a "buffer zone" between the two powers and claimed by neither side, so that neither side would come into contact with one another and risk starting a new war. * To allow the citizens and vessels of the United Federation of Planets to safely avoid Romulan space by knowing its extent. * To allow the Star Empire the chance for developing peaceful relations and future expansion by not being "imprisoned" by Earth forces. Stipulations of the Neutral Zone Treaty The treaty stipulations for the Zone included that: * Any breach of the Neutral Zone by either side constituted an Act of War. As such, any vessel or citizen of either party having so breaching the Zone had entered both parties into a de facto State of War even if one or neither government was aware of the breach. This was done to prevent so-called "disavowable" operations to be run within the Zone escaping the letter of the law. * Upon discovery of a breach of the Neutral Zone the government of the nation not breaching was legally entitled to formally declare war on the other side. This was not mandatory; other options could of course be pursued. * The Star Empire was legally empowered to seize and impound any Federation vessels that enter the Neutral Zone. Original Limits The Neutral Zone was not created as a prison to contain the Romulans. This would have inevitably led again to full-scale war by a recovered enemy attempting to smash the bars of their cage. With this future expansion of both sides in mind, a "fence between neighbours" was instread established directly between the established territories of the Romulans and the members of the Coalition of Planets, of which Earth was a signatory member. The Neutral Zone is one light-year across on the galactic plane and extends to the galactic zenith and nadir for two sectors in each direction, being effectively a giant "Berlin Wall" in space. Provisions for Expansion With the future territorial expansion into uninhabited areas kept in mind, a mechanism was embedded to the Neutral Zone Treaty to allow the extension of the Zone to regions not covered by the original treaty. Upon Federation discovery or Romulan notification of a newly-claimed Romulan star system, the Neutral Zone is by default extended out past the territorial limit of that star system as it bounds on Federation territory. This did lead to an initial rush of "land grabs" to secure strategically-positioned star systems, but as space is infinite and the resources of nations are not, this had tailed off within ten years from the establishment of the Neutral Zone. Brinkmanship is, however, still continuing as territory continues to abut. Sectors Near or Containing the Federation-Romulan Neutral Zone * Stygia Sector Star Systems Near the Federation-Romulan Neutral Zone * Cerebus star system * Charybdis star system Star Systems within the Federation-Romulan Neutral Zone * Nelvana star system